AN AUTOMATIC DISPENSER OF LIQUIDS

Abstract

An automatic dispenser of liquids comprising a container for storing a liquid, the container being closed on all sides except for an opening at its mouth pointing downwardly : a valve unit, one end of which is attachable to the container, said valve unit being provided with a reciprocably mounted spring-loaded valve member, the mouth of the container being normally closed by the first end of the said member, under spring-force ; a chamber attachable to the valve unit, the base of the chamber thrusting the second end of the said member against the spring-force to cause the first end of the, member to open the said mouth, and thus dispense the liquid from the container, into the chamber, whence the liquid is dischargeable, whenever required, through an outlet in the chamber ; a collar, provided for the valve unit, forming an extension of the said mouth and protruding into the chamber ; an air inlet for the valve unit to provide access for atmospheric air to the chamber, whereby whenever the level of liquid dispensed into the chamber' reaches the rim of the collar, the resulting air-lock prevents further dispensation of the liquid into the chamber ; and whenever the level of liquid in the chamber recedes to a level below the rim of the collar, the resulting removal of the air-lock, once again enables liquid from the container to be dispensed into the chamber.

Full Text

This invention relates to an automatic dispenser of liquids.
The dispenser proposed herein will be useful whenever liquid from a container is required to be discharged, from time to time, into a vessel up to a predetermined level lover than the level of the liquid in the container.
When the predetermined level of the liquid recedes to a lower level, liquid from the dispenser automatically discharges fresh liquid until the predetermined level is reached once again.
Various other features of the dispenser proposed herein be apparent from the following further description.
The automatic liquid dispenser, according to this invention, comprises a container for storing a liquid, the container being closed on all sides except for an opening at its mouth pointing downwardly ; a valve unit, one end of which is attachable to the container, said valve unit being provided with a reciprocal mounted spring-loaded valve member, the mouth of the container being normally closed by the first end of the said member, under spring-force ; a chamber attachable to the valve unit, the base of the chamber thrusting the second end of the said member against the spring-force to cause the first end of the member to open the said mouth, and thus dispense the liquid from the container, into the chamber, whence the liquid is dischargeable, whenever required, through an outlet in the chamber; a collar, provided for the valve unit, forming an extension of the said mouth and protruding into the chamber; an air inlet for the valve unit to provide access for atmospheric air to the chamber, whereby whenever the level of liquid dispensed into the chamber reaches the rim of the collar, the resulting air-lock prevents further dispensation of the liquid into the chamber ; and whenever the level of liquid in the chamt)er recedes to a level below the rim of the collar, the resulting removal of the air-lock, once again enables liquid from the container to be dispensed into the chamber.

This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of various possible embodiments of the dispenser proposed herein.
Fig. 1 Illustrating the container of the embodiment in exploded view.
Fig.2 Ulus^ating the valve unit attaohod- to tho mouth of the container.
and
Fig.3 Illustrating the chamber attached to the valve unit and container.
The container C is closed on all sides except for an opening at its mouth M. The container is positioned such that the mouth M points downwardly.
A valve unit V has one end V1 attachable (for example, by a pin and slot joint) to the container. The valve unit V is provided with a reciprocably mounted spring-loaded valve member B, the spring being indicated by S.
The mouth M of the container C is normally dosed by the first end E1 of the said member B, under spring-force {force of the spring S).
A chamber D is attachable (for example by a pin and slot joint) to the valve unit. Once attached, the base F of the chamber D thrusts the second end E2 of the said member D against the spring-force to cause the first end El of the member to open (uncover) the said mouth M, and thus dispense the liquid from the container, into the diamber D. From the chamber, the liquid is dischargeable, whenever required, through an outlet G in the chamber.
A collar H is provided for the valve unit, forming an extension of the said mouth and protruding into the chamber D.
The valve unit V has an air inlet for providing access for atmospheric air to the chamber D. In the embodiment illustrated the air inlet consists of perforations J on a ridge K sun-ounding the valve unit.

Thus, whenever the level of liquid dispensed Into the chamber D reaches the rim L of the collar H, entry of air from atmosphere into the container C ceases and the resulting air-lock prevents further dispensation of the liquid into the chamber.
Similarly, whenever the level of liquid In the chamber recedes to a level below the rim L of the collar H, the entry of atmospheric air into the container C is resumed and the resulting removal of the air-lock, once again enables liquid from the container to be dispensed into the chamber D, until the level of the liquid in the container reaches the rim L of the collar H to create an air-lock.
The liquid from the chamber D is discharged into a vessel A through the outlet 0. The liquid discharged into the vessel A will rise up to a level in line with the rim L of the collar H and then stop by reason of the air-lock. Whenever the liquid in the vessel A happens to be used, the fall in level of the liquid in the vessel A causes the level of liquid in the chamber D to descend below the rim L of the collar H ; consequently, the air-lock is removed and fresh liquid is dispensed from the container C into the chamber D, until the level of the liquid in the chamber D reaches the rim L and creates an air-lock to stop further dispensation. Simultaneously, the liquid in the vessel A has reached a level in line with the rim L of the collar H.
In other words, the level of the liquid in the vessel A is maintained at a constant level, automatically, by liquid dispensed from time to time.
The container C can, of course, be replenished vAth liquid, by detaching the chamber D and valve unit V and reused again.
The terms and expressions In this specification are of description and not of limitation, in as much as there is no intention of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other emtiodiments of the dispenser proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention.

We Claim :
1. An automatic dispenser of liquids comprising a container for storing a
liquid, the container being closed on all sides except for an opening at its
mouth pointing downwardly : a one end of is attachable to
the container, said valve unit being provided with a mounted
spring-loaded valve member, the mouth of the container being normally
closed by the first end of the said member, under spring-force ; a chamber
attachable to the valve unit, the base of the chamber thrusting the second end
of the said member against the spring-force to cause the first end of the
member to open the said mouth, and thus dispense the liquid from the
container, into the chamber, whence the liquid is dischargeable, whenever
required, through an outlet in the chamber ; a collar, provided for the valve
unit, forming an extension of the said mouth and protruding into the chamber;
an air inlet for the valve unit to provide access for atmospheric air to the
chamber, whereby whenever the level of liquid dispensed into the chamber
reaches the rim of the collar, the resulting air-lock prevents further
dispensation of the liquid into the chamber; and whenever the level of liquid
in the chamber recedes to a level below the rim of the collar, the resulting
removal of the air-lock, once again enables liquid from the container to be
dispensed into the chamber.
2. An automatic dispenser of liquids wherein the air-inlet comprises a
perforated ridge surrounding the valve unit.
3. An automatic dispenser of liquids substantially as herein described and
illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.